Preparation of Mn doped Li2B4O7 nanoparticles by glass quenching

Lithium tetraborate, Li2B4O7 (LTB) glass samples doped with 1 mol% Mn were prepared by glass quenching technique. The prepared Mn:LTB glass samples were annealed at different temperatures. These samples remain amorphous up to the temperature of 470 °C and starts transforming into crystalline state above this temperature. Powder X-ray diffraction of the sample carried out after each annealing experiment exhibits the structural change with respect to the temperature. Differential thermal analysis also suggests that the crystallization was complete at 550 °C. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results confirm crystallization in the samples on annealing. The average size of the nanoparticles was found in the range of ∼20-30 nm.